Licensing laws - Rash social experiments won’t help

It is crazy to have the Department of Health appoint a Strategic Task Force on Alcohol and then ignore its recommendations.

Surely its recommendations deserve careful consideration before legislation is introduced that runs directly contrary to the advice that the Government should restrict the number of alcohol outlets.

Constance Cassidy, an expert in licensing law, warned yesterday that under the new Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2005 any restaurant, sandwich bar and internet café could be licensed to sell alcohol.

Enterprising business people will inevitably target third-level institutions, and this will likely exacerbate the already growing problems of binge drinking.

Dr Joe Barry a public health lecturer at Trinity College, Dublin, and a member of the National Drugs Team has warned that new café bars proposed under the new legislation will only add to the country's alcohol problems, already costing €2.65 billion annually.

We have had a miserable government example on the issue of irresponsible drinking in recent days. Dr Jim MacDaid has admitted his appalling indiscretions under the influence of alcohol, but the Government response has been to continue as if nothing had been admitted.

As a country, we have a growing alcohol problem that we need to confront with considered policies, not aggravate with rash social experimentation.